Users enter text into computers and other data processing systems using a variety of input devices, including many types of keyboards. Most standard keyboards are large so as to accommodate both hands of a typist, but this leads to a less portable device. Laptop computers have attempted to shrink the size of a keyboard, sometimes at the expense of typing efficiency for some users.
Certain mobile devices such as cell phones, smart phones and the like, require an even smaller keyboard to maintain the form factor common with such devices. Some phones include a small key pad with physical buttons to distinguish each key on the keyboard, with which a user may use her thumbs to actuate the buttons. Other devices use a touch screen that displays a similar sized keyboard. Both of these smaller keyboards are cramped and can provide for slower and/or error prone text entry.
Although touch screen devices have become increasingly popular, consumers continue to demand simpler ways to input text, such as for e-mail, text messaging, instant messaging, and other activities. These touch screen keyboards, however, may suffer from more problems than their small key pad counterparts. The soft keys on the touch screen of such keyboards provide less tactile feedback to a user, which can lead to input errors, as well as other problems. Further, some devices have text input areas for inputting characters or letters drawn by the user, but the system must determine when one character/letter ends and the next one begins. Often, this is done with a button to commit a drawn character/letter, entry of a space character, or by a time-out or pause between inputted characters/letter. This, of course, decreases the speed of character/letter input by users.
The need exists for a system that overcomes the above problems, as well as one that provides additional benefits. Overall, the examples herein of some prior or related systems and their associated limitations are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of existing or prior systems will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading the following Detailed Description.